Chapter three - The Escape

I woke before the sun even thought about rising. My heart pounded like it wanted to escape my chest as I walked around my room. Sebastine had long moved me to the room opposite him, with claims that he worked into the night and needed privacy.

I couldn't understand the concept. He had a study downstairs, but it was what he wanted, so I was happy with it. And now, in the silence of dawn, even the distant hum of traffic and the faint creak of the building made me flinch.

But I had to leave today. That was what was best for me and my baby. I looked down at my flat tummy and could barely believe there was life growing inside.

I was going to be a mummy.

I moved slowly as I stuffed clothes, a few documents, and my phone charger into one small bag, tucking the

 pregnancy test safely into a side pocket of the bag.

Each item I packed was very important. Nothing fancy. I couldn’t afford to raise any suspicion.

Sebastine finally left for work, and I let out a shaky breath but didn’t allow myself to relax. My body remained tense. Every step and every sound I made had to be invisible.

Once upon a time, I had sworn I would live here till my last breath. Now, leaving behind a life, a marriage, a man I once loved, and stepping into the unknown felt like the best decision I’d ever made.

I dialed Anna’s number. She was my childhood best friend, but her family moved to Sydney when we were in our first year of high school. We never lost our bond and communicated over the phone, and that was why I chose there. I had someone who could help me start life all over.

The sound of her voice at the other end suddenly anchored me and put a smile on my face.

“I need somewhere to stay,” I whispered, my voice tight with nerves.

“Are you okay? I don't understand you.”

“I am moving to Sydney, and I need a hotel for a while.” My voice broke even though I tried to be strong.

I heard Anna take a deep breath, and I couldn't help but imagine the confused scowl on her face.

“I don't understand you or any of the things you're saying, but if this is true, then you’re staying with me,” she said firmly. “Don’t argue.”

“I don't want to be a…”

“Burden? Oh, please, El. I know you know better. But what really happened? Why isn't Seb coming with…”

“I’ll explain when I land,” I cut her off as I tried to keep calm.

She sighed, but there was warmth in her voice. “I've got you, baby. I’ll be with you every step of the way.”

I hung up and let the silence fill the apartment again. My hands shook as I zipped my bag. Then, the sound of footsteps walking down the hallway made me pause in my tracks. I could have sworn he had already left for work, but they were unmistakably his.

He walked past me, muttering something under his breath about leaving it on the counter, and I stayed quiet, ears pressed to the door.

He stooped briefly just outside my door, and I began to wonder if he suspected something, but after a few seconds, he walked away. Heavy steps filled the air.

My legs gave out, and I exhaled, relief washing over me in hot, uneven bursts.

Thirty minutes later, I scanned my room for the last time, took a deep breath, and walked out. I was uncertain of what the future held, but as long as it didn't involve harming my baby, I would give it my all.

The taxi was already waiting downstairs. As we drove by the city, I devoured every building and signpost I saw, memorizing the look and feel of it for the last time.

The skyline of New York blurred past the window, and a tear dropped from my eyes. This city I had once loved was now a cage I had to escape.

At the airport, I moved through security, my boarding pass in hand. Suddenly conscious of my pregnancy, I held on to it like a talisman, a reminder that I had chosen my life over fear, over love, and over everything I had lost. I was leaving so that I coul

d live again.

“I’ll keep you safe,” I whispered to my baby as the plane took off from the airport.

Hours later, I was in Sydney, stepping into Anna’s waiting arms. She held me tight, her laughter warm and reassuring.

“I can’t believe you’re here,” she said, releasing me to look at my face and hugging me again. “You had me worried.”

“I had to come,” I admitted, my voice breaking. “I couldn’t… I couldn’t stay there.”

Anna’s eyes softened, and she placed a hand over my shoulder. “Let's get you settled in. You can talk whenever you're ready.”

The streets slipped past the window, unfamiliar but gentle. People stood in loose clusters near food carts, laughing and eating without rushing. There was no sense of urgency, and it struck me how no one seemed to be running from their life.

In New York, food was fuel. Something you grabbed between meetings. People ate while walking, talking, arguing… just surviving, but things were a lot slower here.

Here, life looked like it had space.

I watched a couple share something wrapped in paper, shoulders touching, and my throat tightened. This used to be me and Sebastine before life took him away from me.

I turned to Anna, and a small smile slipped onto my face before I could stop it. She didn’t know everything yet, but she had welcomed me without questions and made me feel safe. And the thought that I wouldn’t have to carry my burden alone anymore felt like a huge breath of fresh air.

I had chosen right. Not just the city, but her.

………

Back in New York, Sebastine returned to his empty apartment, a slow, careful frown forming as he looked around and found no trace of his wife. Angry and concluding that she was sulking in her room, he barged in, but she was nowhere to be found.

After carefully looking around and seeing small, undeniable signs, he came to one understanding.

She was gone.

He raised a brow, stepping into the living room. “She’ll come back when she’s done acting out,” he muttered, shaking his head. But even though he acted unbothered, there was a flicker of something unreadable in his eyes.

He poured himself a drink and sat in the silence, as though the absence of his wife didn’t matter.

For him, the world was still the same. Elara was still his.

But halfway across the world, that same woman was starting over, carving a new life and a new path, far beyond his reach.